Special Weather Statement
A Special Weather Statement (SAME: SPS) is a type of weather bulletin that is issued for weather events that do not meet the criteria of other specified watches, warnings, and/or advisories. They are usually issued at-will by the National Weather Service for differing weather events. These are broadcast over NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) but not usually toned, except in rare cases. On most NWR receivers, if toned, Special Weather Statements will fall under the 'advisory' category. Types As Special Weather Statements do not have a set criteria, they can be broken up into three different categories: Significant Weather Advisories, non-thunderstorm statements, and general weather information statements. Significant Weather Advisories Significant Weather Advisories a subset of Special Weather Statements that are issued for thunderstorms that do not meet the requirement of a Severe Thunderstorm Warning. Many National Weather Service offices in the Southern Region issue these types of alerts, where elsewhere they are issued as regular Special Weather Statements (or in some localized offices, Short Term Forecasts). 702 WWUS86 KHNX 180014 SPSHNX Special Weather Statement National Weather Service San Joaquin Valley CA 414 PM PST SUN FEB 17 2019 CAZ091-092-180045- Southwestern San Joaquin Valley CA- Southeastern San Joaquin Valley CA- 414 PM PST SUN FEB 17 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEST CENTRAL KERN COUNTY UNTIL 445 PM PST... At 413 PM PST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9 miles north of McKittrick, or 29 miles southwest of Delano, moving southeast at 35 mph. Dime size hail and winds in excess of 30 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Valley Acres, Tupman, Buttonwillow. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. && LAT...LON 3543 11971 3554 11954 3531 11928 3518 11945 TIME...MOT...LOC 0013Z 322DEG 32KT 3543 11957 $$ Dudley Non-thunderstorm statements Non-precipitation Special Weather Statements can usually range across many event types, from heat and cold spells to dense fog to snow squalls. These usually are issued based on preference by the local weather service office for a short-term event that is occurring or will soon occur. 244 WWUS82 KKEY 201015 SPSKEY Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Key West FL 515 AM EST Thu Dec 20 2018 FLZ076>078-201215- Monroe Upper Keys-Monroe Middle Keys-Monroe Lower Keys- Including the cities of Key Largo, Marathon, and Key West 515 AM EST Thu Dec 20 2018 ...STRONG COLD FRONT WILL IMPACT THE KEYS TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT... A strong cold front is expected to blast through the Florida Keys and adjacent coastal waters during the afternoon and evening hours. This front is expected to bring multiple weather hazards to the Keys through Friday evening, including strong to severe thunderstorms, strong winds on land with gales likely on the coastal waters, and possible coastal flooding on the Gulf and Bayside. The potential for strong to severe thunderstorms ahead of the cold front will be highest across the Keys this afternoon and tonight. These thunderstorms are expected to organize into a squall line which is forecast to move through the Keys during the late afternoon or evening hours. The primary hazards with any thunderstorms will be strong, gusty and shifting winds along with lightning strikes. Some of the thunderstorms, either embedded within the squall line or developing out ahead of the line, could become severe with damaging winds and large hail. Isolated waterspouts will also be possible, and there is a slight risk for tornadoes as well. The Storm Prediction Center continues to include all of South Florida and the Keys within a severe thunderstorm risk area for today into tonight. On land, gusty south to southwest winds will increase to 20 to 30 mph today, then shift toward the west and increase to 25 to 30 mph tonight. Strong sustained west winds around 30 mph with gusts near 40 mph are expected on Friday. This will require a Wind Advisory to be issued. These persistent and strong westerly winds will cause Coastal Flooding impacts from the north side of the Lower Keys through the Gulf side and Bayside communities of the Middle and Upper Keys late tonight through Friday night. Total water levels may reach 3 to 4.5 feet above mean sea level for the Bayside communities of the eastern Middle Keys and the Upper Keys Friday and Friday night. The maximum water levels likely will occur within Buttonwood Sound, Tarpon Basin, and Blackwater Sound, around the times of high tide. Water levels will begin to slowly subside on Saturday. See the latest Coastal Flood Statement for additional details. A Coastal Flood Warning may be required for the Middle and Upper Keys. Over the Keys coastal waters, southeast to south winds have steadily increased overnight. A Gale Warning has been issued for all of the Keys coastal waters, and SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT through Friday. Weather will change rapidly today into tonight. South to southwest winds will increase today with frequent gusts to near gale force becoming likely, then full on westerly gales are expected tonight and Friday. An intense squall line likely will move through Keys coastal waters during the afternoon and evening, with a slight risk for a few severe thunderstorms. Very large seas are also expected during this event, peaking on Friday at 11 to 19 feet across the Straits of Florida and deep waters of the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, 5 to 8 feet across Hawk Channel inside the reef, and 4 to 8 feet across the Gulf waters inside five fathoms. Listen to NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio for the latest weather information, including possible warnings. In addition, please remember to turn on your radio's severe weather tone activation feature. Also visit your Florida Keys National Weather Service on the web at www.weather.gov/keywest. $$ Jacobson General weather information statements General weather information statements usually warn of an impending weather threat that is fairly notable. Some Weather Forecasting Offices (WFOs), especially in the mid-Atlantic, will issue Special Weather Statements about thunderstorm threats, snow risks, and fire risk in the upcoming hours or even days in special events. One notable example is the National Weather Service in Sterling, VA, which issues "Potential Winter Commuting Hazard" alerts. These fall under the Special Weather Statement header, and are issued for the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan area when snow is likely to fall during rush hour commutes, but will not reach the criteria of a Winter Weather Advisory. 724 WWUS81 KLWX 130114 SPSLWX Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 814 PM EST Thu Dec 12 2019 MDZ005-503>506-VAZ052-053-055-056-502-506-130715- Carroll-Northwest Montgomery-Central and Southeast Montgomery- Northwest Howard-Central and Southeast Howard- Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park-Fairfax-Stafford- Spotsylvania-Southern Fauquier-Eastern Loudoun- Including the cities of Eldersburg, Westminster, Germantown, Damascus, Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, Lisbon, Columbia, Ellicott City, Dale City, Manassas, Woodbridge, Lake Ridge, Montclair, Reston, Herndon, Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, McLean, Franconia, Falmouth, Fredericksburg, Turnbull, Leesburg, Ashburn, and Sterling 814 PM EST Thu Dec 12 2019 ...POTENTIAL WINTER COMMUTING HAZARD FOR THE BALTIMORE/ WASHINGTON METRO AREAS FRIDAY MORNING... There is a potential for hazardous commuting conditions for the Friday morning commute. A period of light freezing rain or freezing drizzle is POSSIBLE (30 to 50 percent) Friday morning across the northern and western portions of the Baltimore and Washington metro areas. This could result in an icy accumulation on area roads. The best chance for freezing rain will be between 7 am and 10 am Friday morning. Precipitation after 10 am should be rain with temperatures rising above freezing. If this threat does materialize during the Friday morning rush- hour, some roads could quickly turn icy. This could lead to dangerous traveling conditions, multiple accidents, and extensive delays. If commuting Friday morning, be aware of the POSSIBILITY of significant travel disruptions. Plan ahead by allowing for extra travel time, and consider using public transportation and telework options. Stay tuned for updates on this potential winter weather episode. $$ Toning Almost all WFOs do not tone Special Weather Statements on any EAS-based medium unless in extremely rare and unusual circumstances. Very few toned activations on the NOAA Weather Radio have ever been recorded. List of toned NWR activations This is a list of all toned Special Weather Statement NWR activations. This list is not comprehensive, and as more videos are discovered or uploaded, feel free to add to this list: